Ornamental sounding toy



INVENTOR.

Jo/vzB Tigrei, BY %m\ M 7f k+ J B TIGRETT ORNAMENTAL SOUNDING TOY Filed July 1, 1948 May 19, 1953 Patented May 19, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT O IC ORNAMENTAL SOUNDIN G TOY John Burton Tigrett, Chicago, Ill.

Application July 1, 1948, Serial No. 36,382

2 Claims. (Cl. 46-175) The present invention relates to ornamental devices and more particularly to devices having self -contained power units for actuating them and includes actuated ornaments, toys, advertising and amusement devices, novelties and the like.

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a device which may be in the form of an animated figure or object and which will operate from the heat of a small electric light bulb or other heating element.

It is another object to provide a device which may produce novel lighting effects and sound efiects.

It is a further object to provide a device that is simple in construction and which may be economically manufactured and operated.

It is another object to provide a device which will operate continuously without attention.

It is a further object to provide a power operated ornamental or amusement device in which the motor is concealed within a housing which is moved by the motor.

With these and various other objects in view, the invention may consist of certain novel features of construction and operation as will be more fully described and particularly pointed out in the specification, drawings and claims appended hereto.

In the drawings, which illustrate embodiments of the invention and wherein like reference characters are used to designate like parts- Figure 1 is an elevation of a device embodying the invention with the motor housing in cross section;

Figure 2 is an elevation of the device shown in Figure 1 taken on the line 22 thereof;

Figure 3 is an elevation showing the housing pivoted at an angle with the motor shown in cross section in broken lines; and

Figure 4 is an elevation of a modification of the invention with the motor shown in cross section in broken lines.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the housing I2 is shown in the form of a bell having its lower end open. The contour of the housing may be in any shape, depending on the intelligence it is desired to convey to the observer. Positioned within the housing is a hollow member or motor I4 which is secured to the housing by a bracket I 6. The bracket may have its ends supported in recesses in the housing. The upper end of the member I4 has a projection I 8 which is fitted into a recess in the top of the housing so that the member I4 is movable with the housing I2.

Housing I2 is pivotally mounted on a U-shaped bracket 20 which, in the present illustration, is mounted on the electric light socket 22 and may be secured between the bulb and the socket. The arms of the bracket extend into the housing I2 and recesses in the housing provide pivotal points to permit the housingto pivot freely on the bracket. Other types of support also may be used which permit the housing to swing freely. As best shown in Figure 3, the housing I2 may so pivot on the bracket 20 until the bottom edge thereof comes into contact with the upstanding arms of the bracket 20.

A pair of sounding members 24 swing freely on the bracket I6 and strike the inside of the housing when it pivots, as shown more clearly in Figure 3. In the event the housing is made of a material such as plastic, which would not produce a particularly pleasing sound, smaller bells or sounding elements may be mounted within the housing and produce a sound effect.

The hollow member or motor I4 shown in broken lines in Figures 3 and 4 has an upper cold chamber 26 and a lower hot chamber 28 connected by an open ended elongated portion or tube 30. A fluid which will vaporize at a relatively low temperature is contained within member I4 and is indicated at 32.

The light bulb 34 is positioned at the lower open end of the housing I2 and gives of]? sufficient heat to cause the fluid 32 in the lower hot chamber 28 to vaporize. The vapor pressure causes the fluid to move up the tube 30 into the cold upper chamber 26, as shown in Figure 3, which then overbalances the lower chamber and causes the housing to pivot on its supports. As previously mentioned the housing l2 will pivot when so overbalanced, as shown in Figure 3, and if permitted to do so, will move until its lower edge abuts the upstanding arms of the bracket 20. The elements of the device may be so designed that this limitation of the movement of the housing I2 normally occurs immediately after the lower end of the tube 30 has been withdrawn from the fluid 32. When the end of tube 30 is no longer submerged in the fluid, the pressure in the two chambers becomes equalized and the fluid in the upper chamber returns to the lower chamber and the housing pivots back to its initial position. The upper chamber, being cooler than the lower, condenses the vapor in it which then returns to the hot chamber.

The light bulb 34 is shown as extending partly into the open end of housing I2, although it may be entirely within or without the housing. The interior of the housing may have alight reflecting surface which reflects the light in various places as the housing is pivoted.

The modification in Figure 4 shows the housing I2 with openings 36 adjacent the top through which the light may pass.

It is contemplated that various shapes of movable housings and the mountings therefor may be used to produce the desired effect, and it is to be understood thatthe .inventionis not-to be limited to the exact -embodiment of the device shown, which is merely by way of illustration and not limitation, as various other forms of the device will, of course, be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the claims.

I claim:

1. An animated ornament substantially in the form of a bell suitable for decorating aChristmas tree or the like comprising a U-shaped bracket, an electric light secured in the base of said bracket, a bell-shaped housing mounted to pivot on the upper extremities of the arms of the U -shaped bracket, a hollow' m'ember mounted within saidhous'ing substantially along the vertical axis thereof and movable therewith, a chamber formed within said hollow member at the upper end thereof, a conduit connecting said chamber tothe interior oigthe hollow mernber at the lowerend ofsaid member, a low boilingpoint fluid within said-,member, Saidlower' end of said member being normally disposedin close association with said electric; light so that the heat therefrom wnormallycauses vaporization of said fluid insaid hollow member which-inturncauses a portion of said fluidto-movethrough said con- ,duit from the interior of the hollow). member into said chamber tooverbalance said housingso that it ,willpivo t onsaid bracket, said conduit being so disposed that the lower end thereof .wi llbe withdrawn from the fluid remaining within said -hol-1owmember when the housing so pivots so a that said portion; of said fluid-willfiow-backfrom said chamber to the bottomof said-hollow member and said housing will return to substantially itsinitial position.

2. ,An, animated ornament substantially in the 4. form of a bell suitable for decorating a Christmas tree or the like comprising a U-shaped bracket, an electric light secured in the base of said bracket, a bell-shaped housing mounted to pivot on the upper extremities of the arms of the U- shaped bracket, a hollow member mounted within said housing substantially along the' vertical axis thereof and movable therewith, a chamber formed within said hollow member at the upper end thereof, a conduitconnecting said chamber to the interior of the hollow member at the lower end of said member, a low boiling point fluid within said member, said lower end of said memberbeing normally disposed in close association with said electric light so that the heat therefrom normally causes vaporization of said fluid in said hollow member which in turn causes a portion of said fluid to move through said conduit from'the interior of the hollow member into said chamber to overbalanc'e said housing so that it will pivot on said bracket, said conduit being so disposed that the lower end thereof will bewithdrawn from the fluid remaining within said hol- 'low member when the housing so pivots so that said portion of said fluid will flow back from said chamber to the bottom of said hollow member and said housing wi1l return to substantially its initial position, and sounding elements within said-housing adapted to engage said housing to "produce a sound when said housing is pivoted.

JOHN BURTON TIGRET'I.

' References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 389,515 Iske 1 Sept. 11, 1888 671,181 C'ardella 1- Apr. 2, 1901 673,022 Iske et al Apr. 30, 1901 155,048 Russell Mar. 22,1904 962,688 Aalborg June 28, 1910 1,443,931 Rosenberg et al Jan. 30, 1923 1,497,925 Martin June 17, 1924 1,499,539 Landon July 1, 1924 2,240,906 Harold 1 May 6, 1941 2,402,463 Sullivan June. 18, 1946 

